Pound Cake

My first pound cake experience...I had never had pound cake before so it never crossed my mind to make one. Until now. It was 5 pm and I wanted to bake something for dessert. Cinnamon buns sounded really good but was too time consuming. Flipping through one of my baking books I came across a pound cake recipe. The process was like making a quickbread, simple and quick, and I remembered I had some strawberries in the fridge that would go great with it.

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The traditional American pound cake would contain one pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar, hence the name "pound" cake. And who knew there are British, French, Mexican, and Columbian-style pound cakes.

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Pound cakes are very versatile, by adding different flavor extracts or add-ins, you can create a new cake each time.

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Pound Cake (Better Homes & Gardens Old-Fashioned Home Baking)

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1 c. butter

4 eggs

2 c. flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. ground nutmeg (optional)

1 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

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Bring butter and eggs to room temperature. Grease and lightly flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl stir together flour, powder, and, if desired, nutmeg. Set eggs, pan, and flour mixture aside.

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In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or till softened. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on medium to high speed about 6 minutes total or till very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low to medium speed for 1 minute after each addition; scrape sides of bowl often. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low speed just till combined.

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Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake in a 325*F oven for 55 to 65 minutes or till cake tests done. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Then remove cake from pan and cool completely on rack.